Safety ski binding



Jan. 28, 1969 R. VOSTER 3,424,470

SAFETY SKI BINDING Filed Sept. 50, 1966 Sheet 1 of 4 R. VOSTER SAFETY SKI BINDING Jan. 28, 1969 Sheet Filed Sept. 50, 1966 Fig.4

Jan. 28; 1969 R. VOSTER 3,

SAFETY SKI BINDING Filed Sept. 30. 1966 Sheet 3 of 4 Fig 7c Fig. 72

Sheet 4 of 4 Filed Sept so, 1956 Fig."

3,424,470 SAFETY SKI BINDING Reinhold Voster, 31 Jalmstrasse, 7 Stuttgart- Degerloch, Germany Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 583,198 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 11, 1965,

V 29,704 US. Cl. 280-1135 Int. Cl. A63c 9/086 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety ski binding for binding a shoe to a ski which includes a first series of teeth on the shoe and a second series of teeth on the ski. There are included means which releasably secure the teeth on the shoe to the teeth on the ski.

Objects and summary The invention presents an entirely new departure and is designed to solve the problem by providing a safety ski binding that, with the simplest means, yields a reliable bond between shoe and ski so that regular ski activity by the skier is possible. The new ski binding should be easy to use by the skier in putting on and taking off, aswell as for resetting after release in a dangerous fall.

Assuming that a ski boot designed according to modern ski technique is not suited for use without skis, the further. object of the invention is to design a substantial part of the ski binding as an integral part of the ski shoe sole. This is tosimplify the binding construction still more and tokeep the ski, as much as possible, free from the binding part and thus keep it light.

According to the invention, the solution of this objective is accomplished by a direct binding between the sole of .the ski shoe and the ski by means of a device having intermeshing teeth, of which one series of teeth is fastened to the ski shoe, e.g., on the sole edge, and the other fastened to the ski.

The binding grip that is released in a dangerous fall is achieved through interlocking teeth, e.g., flexible, protuberances and depressions or rear cutouts on oppositely lying teeth as in a zipper fastener. It may also be achieved through a rod-shaped bolting member that is insertable in longitudinal borings running through all of the tooth members. These borings, at least in one tooth series, cause the bolting member to present a longitudinal, releasing slit under a certain degree of sideward or upward strain.

In a tooth device similar to a zipper, the sole side has at least in its front and rear areas downward pointing tooth members opposite to which lie corresponding upward pointing teeth which are releasable sidewise, or collapsible and attached to the ski. The gripping protuberances and depressions are adapted to give way in the foresole in case of overstrain in falls where twisting occurs, and in the rear sole in the case of an overstrain in frontal falls. In practical execution of this proposal, downward pointing teeth may be provided on the shoe United States Patent 3,424,470 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 sole edge, and equivalent upward pointing corresponding teeth fastened to the ski. Of these the latter, at least in the forepart of the shoe, are fastened with flexible metal or plastic material, and thus are collapsible sidewise, so that in case of a twist-fall, the shoe tip, after release of the binding, will not be hampered in a sidewise movement. The zippers interlocking protuberances or depressions or rear cutouts in the tooth members may, like the tooth members themselves, consist of appropriate material selected for desired flexibility, e.g., plastic, that makes it possible for the zipper to open along its main direction.

Therefore, in a further sense, it is also an object of the invention to devise a zipper fastener that, in a familiar manner, can be closed and opened through a slide fastener. Even after closing through the slide fastener straight toward its main direction, it will nonetheless open with a corresponding strain equivalent. In order to adjust the teeth of the zipper to the critical release strain, there may be provided, at specific intervals within the tooth series, elastic intermediate members, which ensure a release of the adjacent and opposite-lying teeth within the zipper plane, and thus ensure the opening of the binding in a cross direction.

If the zipper extends from one side of the sole around the heel to the other side, then the protuberances or depressions of the grip-binding in the foresole must be more flexible than in the heel area. Ideally, this flexibility would have to increase from heel to toe and from tooth to tooth. Since this is not practicable from a production standpoint, it is further proposed, in accordance with the invention, to provide a series of opposite lying teeth in the heel area and another on each side of the foresole. In the tooth-free areas there may be provided on the shoe as well as on the ski, tooth-free glide-pieces which, together with the teeth, constitute a continuous path for the slide fastener. It is preferable to divide the zipper into two parts running on either side of the shoe. Each part is closable through its slide fastener, e.g., from the heel forward. The one or more slide fasteners can be bound with a tightening device provided on the ski, so that the skier is in a position to open and close the zipper quickly without undue exertion.

In further development of the invention, the tooth members fastened to the edge of the shoe sole, preferably only in the area parallel to the skis longitudinal axis, have front and rear surfaces tapering downward in a conical form, with which they grip in the correspondingly formed depressions of the corresponding tooth members arranged on the ski at equivalent intervals, so that the shoe, even in the ski-length direction, remains immovable. The longitudinal borings running through the toothmembers to hold the bolting member have, in the tooth members on the shoes, a downward-facing longitudinal slit whose width (depending on the position of the tooth member in the fore or rear sole area and depending on the elasticity or form-holding capacity of the tooth-member material) is so determined that when, due to a fall and the critical load (strain) is exceeded, the bolt member on the ski is released through the longitudinal slit. The bolt member can consist of two rigid pins that are inserted through the longitudinal borings of the tooth members on the shoe and ski by hand or by means of a tightener.

In practice, the tooth members on the ski, at least in the foresole area, are designed to give way sidewise or to bend. The purpose of this precaution is to give the shoe tip unhampered sidewise flexibility in case of a twisting fall, after the binding grip of the bolt member has been overcome. The strong bond between shoe and ski as prescribed in skiing, will not be neglected if the articulated tooth members on the ski are designed to be only outwardly flexible or collapsible, e.g., away from the shoe, and a collapsing movement in the direction of the skis central axis (e.g., through an extensive surface area) is prevented. The tooth members on the ski can themselves be rigidly fastened to the ski and, at least in the foresole, over a joint axis running in the ski-length direction.

If, in accordance with a further proposal of the invention, the tooth members of the ski shoe are formed through corresponding cutouts from the sole and heel, the result is an advantageously narrow form of the whole setup, for the pertinent opposite tooth members on the ski are then, seen from above, hidden under the shoe sole.

Depending on practicability, zipper form tooth members provided, for example, only in the toe area of the shoe, may be combined with such tooth members on the shoe-heel side in a joint binding. The heel bond results through an insertable bolting memberinsertable in its longitudinal borings.

Within the scope of the invention there are optional combinations, though not specifically mentioned, just as the invention is not limited only to the examples of execution shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an applied zipper fastener with a tightening device;

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of the arrangement in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section through ski boot and ski, and illustrates the joining of the upper and lower tooth members of a zipper fastener;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of holding plates attached to the ski for the lower tooth members of the zipper;

FIGURE 5 shows schematically an execution form of upper and lower tooth members for a zipper that, under certain contingencies, opens as a result of strain applied straight to the length axis within its plane;

FIGURE 6 shows a further example of execution for a zipper with elastic intermediary members;

FIGURE 7a is a plan of the heel areas tooth devices with bolting members;

FIGURE 71) is a cross section view taken along the line A-A in FIGURE 7a;

FIGURE 70 shows a cross section view taken on the line BB in FIGURE 7a;

FIGURE 8'is a plan view of a safety binding in the forward area of the ski boot according to the invention, with a tightening device for bolting members according to FIGURE 7a;

FIGURE 9 is the side view of the arrangement according to FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 shows a cross section taken along the line XX in FIGURE 8, in which is shown the boot attached to the ski;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged representation of excerpt XI in FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 shows schematically a similar tooth device of ski shoe and ski as in FIGURES 8 and 9.

Detailed description For binding a ski shoe 10 with a ski 11, tooth series 12 and 13 are arranged on both of these parts. These teeth are closed or opened in relation to one another in the manner of a zipper fastener by means of a slide fastener or glider 14. According to FIGURE 3, the upper tooth members 12, that may be made from simple windings of metal or plastic, are firmly attached to a flexible tongue 15, e.g., by vulcanization which is permanently bound to the shoe sole. Also, the lower tooth members 13 are fastened to a flexible tongue 16 which is fixed to the ski between a pair of plates 17 which are riveted together at 18 and fastened to the ski 11 by means of a plurality of screws 19.

The distance over which the tooth series 12 and 13 extend along the boot or ski is optional. At least, however, both sides of the heel and toe should have an upper 4 and a lower tooth series. FIGURE 1 shows the upper and lower tooth series in the toe area of the ski shoe. As seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, the heads of the teeth are provided with protuberances whose depressions or rear cutouts 21 which are adapted to engage the opposite-lying tooth-row. If the tooth series 12 and 13 are brought to grips through a slide fastener 14 similar to a zipper, this bond can be opened without the aid of the slide fastener only by overstraining, which corresponds to the dangerous demands of the bone structure of the tumbling skier. In order to permit this opening of the zipper in specific overstrain, the protuberances on the tooth members 12 and 13 can be made of elastic flexible material. In order to permit the flexible members 20 to give way, a further space 22 is provided on each tooth.

Instead of, or in addition to, the protuberances and extra spaces in FIGURE 5, elastic intermediary members 24 as seen in FIGURE 6 can be arranged at specific intervals in a tooth series. These ensure yielding by the adjacent tooth members and hence the opening of the zippers upon overstraining. Even these intermediary members 24 (like the protuberances 20) must be so measured in size and elasticity that only in a forward fall of the skier will the bond between upper and lower tooth series be broken. Since in the front area of the ski boot violent side forces even in lesser degrees can be dangerous for a skier because of the torsion effect, the elasticity of the teeth provided there must be so measured that the bond will open in the case of a lesser force.

The closing and desired opening of the zipper composed of tooth series 12 and 13 in FIGURE 1 is effected by a slide fastener 14 that can be connected to a device in the form of a lever transmission means 30. In principle, such a tightening device for the slide fastener 14 is not necessary. It is however practical to apply the tightening device for simultaneous use of two slide fasteners 14 corresponding to FIGURE 2, since the skier then closes or opens the binding with a handle and, above all in closing, can better tighten the ski shoe 10 because of the greater force of the tightening device. The tongues 15 and 16 may be slightly undersized; therefore, the boot will be pressed onto the ski through the additional assistance of the slide fastener.

To achieve an unhampered release of the boot from the binding after overcoming the grip of the tooth device 12 and 13, the slide fastener 14 must be outside the shoe area as shown in FIGURE 1. However, in order that the slide 14 may easily again grip the zipper, a guide rail 31 is provided on the ski 11. The fastener 14 slides in a bent guide groove 32 even when it is foward of the shoe area. The upper rail 33 ends adjacent the last tooth member of the Zipper. To adjust the binding for various shoe widths, plates 17 seen in FIGURE 4,'on which the lower tooth series 13 is fastened, may be provided with cross slits 28 through which the fastening screws 19 project into the ski.

FIGURE 7a illustrates schematically a further embodiment of the invention in which an interlocking tooth series 40 and 41 is fastened to the ski and shoe by means of longitudinal openings through which a bolt member 43 in the form of a pin or a rod is inserted. FIGURE 7a shows this form for a bond in the heel area of the ski boot. To make possible the release of the binding at a specific strain equivalent, at least the upper tooth members 40 attached to the boot are provided with a longitudinal gap 44 opening the boring 42 sideways or downward. The teeth consist entirely or partially of elastic material. The width of the longitudinal gap 44 and the elasticity of the material is so measured that the shoe, at a certain overstrain, breaks away from the bolt member 43. In order that, with a twist fall, the forward tooth members will open faster, the longitudinal gaps 44 can be wider or more elastic there than at the heel.

According to FIGURES 8 to 11, the lower tooth members 41 consist of closed loops 45 which are firmly attached to a movable rod 46 mounted on the ski. The rod 46, by means of a spring 47 (FIGURE 8), can be so tightened so that the loops 45 are near the surface 48 and, at the same time, stand upright. The upper tooth members 40 are, for example, formed from the sole material and have a longitudinal boring 42. The borings may be opened underneath by a longitudinal gap. The boring 42 has an opening corresponding with the loop 45, so that through openings and borings of the tooth series 40 and 41 the pin-formed bolt member 43 can be inserted.

The bolt members 43 inserted on both sides of the ski boot in the borings of the upper tooth member 40, and the openings of the loops 45 are, according to FIGURE 8, coupled through ball joints with a tightening device 50 to operate simultaneously. The ball joints are necessary to permit the sideways collapse of the loops 45 when the ski boot is released, and it must slide off the ski due to a turn or twist demand after overcoming the holding grip of the upper tooth members 40 on the bolt member.

Just as in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, plates 51 with cross slits 52 may be fastened to the ski. These plates hold the lower tooth members sideways. The cross slits 52 of the plates 51 serve to adjust the binding in fitting a specific shoe width, whereby the plates 51, through screws 53, are firmly bound to the ski.

According to FIGURE 12, the upper and lower tooth members are conical or tapered so that in placing the ski boot thereon, the tooth members are forced to slide into one another and the ski shoe is firmly fixed upon it lengthwise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A ski binding for binding a shoe to a ski comprising:

(a) a first series of teeth on said shoe,

(b) a second series of teeth on said ski, and

(c) means for releasably securing said first series of teeth, to said second series of teeth, at least one series of said teeth including resilient members whereby said teeth will yield and separate upon an overload substantially transverse to the axis of said series of teeth.

2. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means includes means for forcing said first and second series of teeth in locking relationship.

3. A ski binding as defined in claim 2 wherein said two series of teeth include guide means positioned ad acent thereto, and said forcing means including a slide means engageable with said guide means and with sa1d teeth.

4. A ski binding as defined in claim 3 wherein said slide means includes a pair of sliders engageable on opposite sides of said shoe.

5. A ski binding as defined in claim 4 wherein said sliders are connected to a lever actuated mechanism.

6. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of the teeth in each of said series of teeth include protuberances extending transversely to the direction of said teeth, the protuberances in one series engaging the protuberances in the other series.

7. A ski binding as defined in claim 6 wherein said teeth having said protuberances thereon include depressions between said protuberances.

8. A ski binding as defined in claim 6 including elastic intermediary means between individual teeth, said intermediary means being located adjacent said protuberances.

9. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said shoe includes said first series of teeth in the forward toe area and in the rearward heel area.

10. A ski binding as defined in claim 9 including guide means connecting said forward and rearward series of teeth.

11. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein the teeth in at least one of said series teeth include tapered ends.

12. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 including complimentary borings in said two series of teeth and bolting means extending through said borings.

13. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 wherein said borings in one of said series of teeth include said means for releasably securing said bolting means to said one series.

14. A ski binding as defined in claim 13 wherein said releasably securing means includes resilient grooves connecting said borings to the exterior of said teeth.

15. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 including means for adjusting the tension on said bolting means.

16. A ski binding as defined in claim 12 including a pair of bolting means and means for simultaneously engaging said pair of bolting means into said borings.

17. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 including means for adjusting the lateral position of one of said series of teeth.

18. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein the teeth in one of said two series of teeth are in the form of loops.

19. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein said first series of teeth include open downwardly projecting grooves.

20. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said series of teeth is movable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,080 5/1940 Fein 36--15 XR 2,839,845 6/1958 Burton 3615 XR 3,003,777 10/1961 Hilding 280-1135 FOREIGN PATENTS 810,088 12/ 1936 France. 925,155 3/ 1947 France. 108,061 7/ 1943 Sweden.

BENJAMIN HERSI-I, Primary Examiner.

M. L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

